Cleaning composition comprising inorganic acids, an oxidant, and a cationic surfactant

Abstract

A cleaning composition is provided according to the invention. The cleaning composition includes a product of mixing an acid component, a source of phosphoric acid component, and an oxidant component. The molar ratio of oxidant component to phosphoric acid component is preferably between about 2:1 and about 1:2, and the molar ratio of oxidant component to acid component is preferably between about 1:3 and about 1:5. A method of cleaning an aluminum surface is provided. The method includes a step of applying the cleaning composition to an aluminum surface, and rinsing the cleaning composition from the aluminum surface.

We claim:  
     
       1. A cleaning composition comprising: 
       (a) a product of mixing:  
       (i) acid component comprising at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobroznic acid, hydroiodic acid, imidophosphoric acid, thiocyanic acid, and mixtures thereof, wherein said acid component does not include nitric acid;  
       (ii) source of phosphoric acid component to provide phosphoric acid;  
       (iii) oxidant component, wherein the oxidant component comprises at least one of hydrogen peroxide, adducts of hydrogen peroxide, peroxycarboxylic acid, salts of peroxycarboxylic acid, pertungstic acid, permanganates, ozone, halogens, halogenoxides, manganese compounds, chromium compounds, cerium compounds, vanadium compounds, copper compounds, silver compounds, iron compounds, titanium compounds, and mixtures thereof, wherein the molar ratio of the oxidant component to the phosphoric acid is between about 2:1 and about 1:2; and  
       (iv) penetrant comprising a cationic s t having the formula:                    
        wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  include, individually, or in combination, substituents including 6 to 24 carbon atoms, any one to tee of R 1 , R 2 , and R 4  can be hydrogen, and X is a counter ion.  
     
     
       2. A cleaning composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of oxidant component to acid component is between about 1:3 and about 1:5. 
     
     
       3. A cleaning composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the source of phosphoric acid component comprises at least one of phosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid, oxides of phosphorus, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       4. A cleaning composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the source of phosphoric acid component comprises an oxide of phosphorus comprising at least one of phosphorus tetraoxide, phosphorus hexaoxide, phosphorus decaoxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       5. A cleaning composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the source of phosphoric acid component comprises phosphoric acid. 
     
     
       6. A cleaning composition according to  claim 1 , comprising: 
       (a) about 0.01 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the penetrant.  
     
     
       7. A cleaning composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the penetrant comprises an alkyl imidazoline quaternary ammonium salt, wherein the alkyl group contains between about 6 and about 24 carbon atoms and can be saturated and/or unsaturated. 
     
     
       8. A cleaning composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the penetrant comprises an alkyl ethoxylated and/or propoxylated quaternary ammonium salt, wherein the alkyl group contains between about 6 and about 24 carbon atoms, and the degree of ethoxylation is between about 0 and about 30, and the degree of propoxylation is between about 0 and about 30, with the proviso that at least one of the degree of ethoxylation or the degree of propoxylation is at least one. 
     
     
       9. A cleaning composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the penetrant comprises an amphoteric surfactant having the formula:                    
       wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  include, individually or in combination, substituents including 6 to 24 carbon atoms, Y is an anionic substituent, and n is 1 to 20. 
     
     
       10. A cleaning composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the penetrant further comprises an anionic surfactant having the formula: 
       
         
           R—Y  
         
       
       wherein R can be a saturated or unsaturated alkyl or aryl or aralkyl substituent including 6 to 24 carbon atoms, and Y is an anionic substituent. 
     
     
       11. A cleaning composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the penetrant comprises a nonionic surfactant having the formula:                    
       wherein R is a substituent having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, R, is H or CH 3 , and n is 1 to 30. 
     
     
       12. A cleaning composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning composition comprises a use solution comprising about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the combination of the acid component, the phosphoric acid, and the oxidant component. 
     
     
       13. A method for cleaning an aluminum surface, the method comprising the steps of: 
       applying a cleaning composition to an aluminum surface, the cleaning composition comprising a product of mixing:  
       (i) acid component comprising at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, imidophosphoric acid, thiocyanic acid, and mixtures thereof, wherein said acid component dots not include nitric acid;  
       (ii) source of phosphoric acid component to provide phosphoric acid;  
       (iii) oxidant component, wherein the oxidant component comprises at least one of hydrogen peroxide, adducts of hydrogen peroxide, peroxycarboxylic acid, salts of peroxycarboxylic acid, pertungstic acid, permanganates, ozone, halogens, halogenoxides, manganese compounds, chromium compounds, cerium compounds, vanadium compounds, copper compounds, silver compounds, iron compounds, titanium compounds, and mixtures thereof, wherein the molar ratio of the oxidant component to the phosphoric acid is between about 2:1 and about 1:2;  
       (iv) penetrant comprising a cationic surfactant having the formula:                    
        wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  include, individually, or in combination, substituents including 6 to 24 carbon atoms, any one to three of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  can be hydrogen, and X is a counter ion; and  
       rinsing the cleaning composition from the aluminum surface.  
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the molar ratio of oxidant component to acid component is between about 1:3 and about 1:5. 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the source of phosphoric acid component comprises at least one of phosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid, oxides of phosphorus, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the source of phosphoric acid component comprises an oxide of phosphorus comprising at least one of phosphorus tetraoxide, phosphorus hexaoxide, phosphorus decaoxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the source of phosphoric acid component comprises phosphoric acid. 
     
     
       18. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the composition comprises: 
       (a) about 0.01 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the penetrant.  
     
     
       19. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the penetrant comprises an alkyl imidazoline quaternary ammonium salt, wherein the alkyl group contains between about 6 and about 24 carbon atoms and can be saturated and/or unsaturated. 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the penetrant comprises an alkyl ethoxylated and/or propoxylated quaternary ammonium salt, wherein the alkyl group contains between about 6 and about 24 carbon atoms, and the degree of ethoxylation is between about 0 and about 30, and the degree of propoxylation is between about 0 and about 30, with the proviso that at least one of the degree of ethoxylation or the degree of propoxylation is at least one. 
     
     
       21. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the penetrant comprises an amphoteric surfactant having the formula:                    
       wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  include, individually or in combination, substituents including 6 to 24 carbon atoms, Y is an anionic substituent, and n is 1 to 20. 
     
     
       22. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the penetrant further comprises an anionic surfactant having the formula: 
       
         
           R—Y  
         
       
       wherein R can be a saturated or unsaturated alkyl or aryl or aralkyl substituent including 6 to 24 carbon atoms, and Y is an anionic substituent. 
     
     
       23. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the penetrant further comprises a nonionic surfactant having the formula:                    
       wherein R is a substituent having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, R 1  is H or CH 3 , and n is 1 to 30. 
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the cleaning composition comprises a use solution comprising about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the combination of the acid component, the phosphoric acid, and the oxidant component. 
     
     
       25. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the cleaning composition comprises water having a water hardness level of greater than 100 ppm calculated as calcium carbonate. 
     
     
       26. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the step of applying a cleaning composition to an aluminum surface comprises spraying a foam cleaning composition to an aluminum surface. 
     
     
       27. A method for manufacturing a cleaning composition for cleaning an aluminum surface, the method comprising: 
       mixing:  
       (i) acid component comprising at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, imidophosphoric acid, thiocyanic acid, and mixtures thereof, wherein said acid component does not include nitric acid;  
       (ii) source of phosphoric acid component to provide phosphoric acid;  
       (iii) oxidant component, wherein the oxidant component comprises at least one of hydrogen peroxide, adducts of hydrogen peroxide, peroxycarboxylic acid, salts of peroxycarboxylic acid, pertungstic acid, permanganates, ozone, halogens, halogenoxides, manganese compounds, chromium compounds, cerium compounds, vanadium compounds, copper compounds, silver compounds, iron compounds, titanium compounds, and mixtures thereof, wherein the molar ratio of the oxidant component to the phosphoric acid is between about 2:1 and about 1:2; and  
       (iv) penetrant comprising a cationic surfactant having the formula:                    
        wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R3, and R 4  include, individually, or in combination, substituents including 6 to 24 carbon atoms, any one to three of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and  4R  can be hydrogen, and X is a counter ion.  
     
     
       28. A cleaning composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxidant component comprises hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
       29. A method for cleaning according to  claim 13 , wherein the oxidant component comprises hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
       30. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the oxidant component comprises hydrogen peroxide.